Tampa Bay WaVE held a three-hour pitching contest on Tuesday this week and invited start-ups to tell their story. Challenge Cup is a worldwide tournament for the most innovative new companies to win prizes, build connections, and present their vision on a global stage. This year, 1776 partnered with 75 cities to host Challenge Cup local events and swung by Tampa Theatre where 20 startups pitched their ideas to a panel of judges.
Zachary Senz Kamler, the CEO of Monikl Jobs , a revolutionary staffing platform, and one of the startups chosen to present said, “Presenting at this event was great exposure for Monikl. Any forum that helps us promote our new way of helping people find suitable work and employers find quality candidates is a good forum!”
Kirstie Chadwick, President and CEO of International Business Innovation Association, Sean Kennedy, Greenhouse Manager of The Greenhouse, and Kunal Jain of the TiE Angel Fund judged the competition. Startup Knack, an online-to-offline app that connects college students in advanced level classes with tutors, won the grand prize of $2,500 and a trip to the Global Final round in DC! The Global Finals will be held November 13-17. Finalist will compete for grand prizes and spend time with investors, customers, media, and other key connections that can help them succeed on a global scale.
While Knack hit a home run, an after party was held at Franklin Manor to celebrate the contestants. Sponsors of the event included Hillsborough County, Florida Government and MyArea Network, Inc.
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Cover photo courtesy of Tampa Downtown Partnership
